Featured Specimen

Coticule ID:

n°101

Picture:

Characteristics:

Small combination stone of BBW and a cream colored Coticule part with no surface pattern. There are several thin orange lines, as also witnessed in Specimen n°22, a known La Dressante Coticule. There are also a number of gray inclusions, that are more shiny than the rest of the stone, and appear to be harder than the surrounding Coticule rock. In spite of this being a small specimen and the presence of the inclusions, I have harpened several razors with this specimen and completed the standard Unicot/Dilucot testing routine with no special problems.

Coticule Dimensions:

rectangular bout, approx 40X60mm

Speed on slurry:

fast

Feedback on slurry:

fast stone with a distinct abrasive feel, reminiscent of the La Dressante layer at Ol'Preu. This sensations reduces, as the slurry thins out, but does not entirely vanish to glass like sensation on water.
No significant draw.
Stone produces the typical sound of "sharpening steel".
Slurry turns dark quickly.

AutoSlurry:

no

Slurry Keenness Limit:

shaves arm hair marginally

Speed on water:

slow

Feedback on water:

Water discolors after some time. Due to this hone's small size, it's not possible to estimate a "lap count" for that to happen. There can only be honed in circles on this one.
Faint sensation of very fine abrasion.
No significant draw.
Some full hollow ground razor produced a squealing sound. This didn't affect the end result.

Edge Qualification:

engaging

Background:

This Coticule was found as a small chunk of raw Coticule in the "Schieferstollen" mine in the village Recht, Belgium. URL: www.schieferstollen-recht.beThe Schieferstollen mine was actually a slate mine, but it contains a couple of Coticule layers that have been commercially exploited only during a brief period in history. Allegedly, the layers were too thin and interupted to be of highcommercial interest. Recht is the most outlying finding spot of Coticule rock.

Thanks John, for making this unique specimen available to us.The stone has returned to its rightfull home in the UK.